The Associated Press reports former NFL DL Marco Coleman has dropped his name from a lawsuit against the NFL and NFLPA over an alleged fraud scheme. Six current and former players remain plaintiffs, but it is unknown why Coleman dropped out. The new complaint filed also lists two new defendants, "ABC Corporation" and "XYZ Corporation." The suit describes both as "John Doe" companies whose true names are not known to the plaintiffs, but were supposed to perform certain background checks for the NFL and NFLPA.

The Associated Press reports a lawyer for seven current and former NFL players said he expects to settle his suit against the NFL and the players' union for recommending unfit financial advisers who caused $20 million in losses. "I would be shocked if the NFL wants this case to play out in front of a jury," attorney Jim Evangelista said yesterday during a news conference in Atlanta. "You don't want to put guys like this in front of a jury, because they are going to cream the (league)." NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the claims are unfounded and declined to comment further. As previously noted, the plaintiffs are former players S Steve Atwater, S Blaine Bishop, DE Marco Coleman, CB Ray Crockett, DE Clyde Simmons and LB Al Smith and current New York Giants LB Carlos Emmons.

Margaret Cronin Fisk, of Bloomberg News, reports seven present and former professional football players have sued the NFL and the NFLPA, claiming the organizations recommended unfit financial advisers that caused them to lose $20 million. Both organizations approved the services of Kirk Wright and Nelson Keith Bond, heads of the bankrupt hedge fun International Management Associates LLC, without doing background checks, the players said June 23 in a federal court suit in Atlanta. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the claims are unfounded and added, "We will review the matter with our attorneys and look forward to responding as directed by the court." The plaintiffs are former NFL S Steve Atwater, S Blaine Bishop, DL Marco Coleman, CB Ray Crockett, DL Clyde Simmons and LB Al Smith. New York Giants LB Carlos Emmons is the only active player involved in the lawsuit.